William T. Shearer and Lynn Des Prez Lectureship: Investing Together in Our Future
William T. Shearer, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, was Professor of Pediatrics and Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine, and the former Chief of the Allergy and Immunology Service at Texas Children’s Hospital. He graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 1970. He received his clinical training in pediatrics, allergy and immunology at the Washington University’s affiliated hospitals, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and Barnes Hospital. He received a Research Scholar Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and a Faculty Research Award from the American Cancer Society for his early research work. He joined the faculty of Washington University in 1974 and was promoted to professor in 1978 prior to moving to Baylor College of Medicine. In 1981, he was elected to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation and received the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1984 from Baylor College of Medicine. Washington University conferred its Alumni Achievement Award on Shearer in 2000, the Houston Regional Cabinet Award in 2003, and in 2008 appointed him an Ethan A. H. Shepley Trustee of the Washington University Board of Trustees and member of the School of Medicine National Council at Washington University. In 2008 he was elected to the Association of American Physicians, Chair of the Program Directors Assembly (1986-1991), Vice-President of the Accredited Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency and Review Committee for Allergy and Immunology (1996-2001).
Shearer was active in professional and clinical immunology organizations at the national level for many years, serving as Director and Chair of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (1990-1995); Director of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) from 1992-2002; Chair of AAAAI’s Clinical and Laboratory Immunology Committee which published the Core Content Outline for Clinical and Laboratory Immunology and the Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and Management of Immunodeficiency; and member and Associate Editor of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2000-2015). He was elected Councilor (1997-2001) and President of the Clinical Immunology Society (2001-2002). For editing the Primer on Allergy and Immunologic Diseases 5th edition, he was given the Special Recognition Award by the AAAAI in 2004. In 2005, he received the Arnold J. Rudolph - Baylor Pediatric Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching.
Lynn Des Prez is a Philadelphia native and served as the Administrative Director of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology for 31 years, following a career in law and economics. Shearer and she shared a long-distance marriage until 2006, when she moved to Houston. She continues her involvement with allergy and immunology through Shearer’s many activities. She shares his philanthropic efforts via the AAAAI Foundation, and a Diversity Scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. She served as 2011-2012 President of the AAAAI Associates in raising scholarship and asthma camp funds. In 1997 she received the AAAAI Distinguished Layperson Award. In 2002 she received the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s (ACAAI) Distinguished Service Award. She has served professional and civic associations, was a church elder, and holds office in a prison ministry and Houston’s Etoffe Litteraire. She is interested in continuing education, health, finance, technology, and musical theatre.
Dr. Shearer passed away in October 2018. He is survived by his wife Lynn Des Prez, a sister and six children.
| Year | Lecturer | Lecture Topic |
| 2015 | Hirohito Kita, MD | Award Presentation at Symposium Session: New Players in Allergic Immune Responses |
| 2016 | Jordan Orange, MD PhD FAAAAI | Award presentation at Symposium Session: Imaging Immunity in Health and Disease |
| 2017 | Hal Hoffman, MD FAAAAI | Stories from the AAAAI Foundation |
| 2018 | Talal A. Chatila, MD MSc | Cutting Edge-Food Allergy Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy |
| 2019 | Carla M. Davis, MD FAAAAI | Outcomes, Education and Healthcare Delivery in Allergic Diseases |
If you wish to honor Dr. Shearer and Ms. Des Prez, please consider a gift to the AAAAI Foundation and William T. Shearer and Lynn Des Prez Lectureship Fund. A donation in any amount can be dedicated to this effort. Dr. Shearer will be notified of your gift, and your name will be listed as a donor to this fund in the Annual Report of the AAAAI Foundation. Your donation makes a difference. We appreciate your support and your commitment to our specialty.
To make a contribution by phone call the AAAAI Foundation Office at (414) 272-6071